What Otter.ai does
Otter.ai is a meeting intelligence platform. Its OtterPilot bot joins Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams calls in real time, transcribing everything as it happens. After the meeting it produces an AI-generated summary with action items. You can search across all your past transcripts, highlight moments, and share notes with teammates who did not attend.
The Business plan adds custom AI workflows, which let you build structured outputs (follow-up emails, project briefs, client reports) directly from meeting transcripts. There is also an AI chat interface for querying your meeting history. For editing recorded audio and video directly, see our Descript profile.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Minutes/month | Per-meeting cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (Free) | $0 | $0 | 300 | 30 min |
| Pro | $16.99/user | $8.33/user | 1,200 | 90 min |
| Business | $30/user | $19.99/user | Unlimited | 4 hours |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Unlimited | Custom |
Pro includes 10 file imports per month. Business removes the import cap and adds 3 concurrent meeting support. Confirm current pricing at otter.ai/pricing.
What it is good at and where it struggles
Good at
- Reliable bot attendance across Zoom, Meet, and Teams
- Clean summary and action item extraction after meetings
- Searchable transcript archive that actually surfaces old meetings
- Free plan is functional, not just a trial
- Simple setup with no technical knowledge required
Struggles with
- Accuracy drops with strong accents and overlapping speakers
- Speaker labeling can misidentify voices in bigger calls
- 30-minute per-meeting cap on the free plan is a real barrier
- No native video recording on the base plans
- AI workflow customization only on Business, not Pro
Top alternatives
- Fireflies.ai offers a similar bot-based transcription approach with a more generous free tier and stronger CRM integrations, making it better suited to sales teams. See our Otter.ai alternatives page for a full rundown.
- tl;dv specialises in video highlights and clips from meeting recordings, which makes it a better pick for teams who need to share moments rather than search full transcripts.
- Descript is the right call if you need to edit the audio or video of a recorded meeting, not just read the transcript.
Who it is for
Otter.ai suits individuals and small teams who spend a meaningful chunk of their day in video calls and want an automatic record without paying someone to take notes. Consultants, account managers, and project leads with three-to-five meetings daily will extract clear value from the Pro plan. Heavy enterprise users with complex reporting needs should look seriously at Fireflies or tl;dv before assuming Otter is the default choice.
FAQ
Does Otter.ai work with Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams?
Yes. The free Basic plan supports automatic joining and transcription in Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. The OtterPilot bot joins the call on your behalf and delivers a transcript and summary when it ends.
How accurate is Otter.ai transcription?
Accuracy is strong for clear English speech in low-noise conditions, typically in the high-90% range word-for-word. It degrades noticeably with heavy accents, crosstalk, and technical jargon. Speaker labeling can misidentify voices in busy meetings.
What is the difference between Otter.ai Pro and Business plans?
Pro ($16.99/month or $8.33/month annually) increases transcription to 1,200 minutes and raises the per-meeting cap to 90 minutes. Business ($30/month or $20/month annually) removes meeting length caps, allows 3 concurrent meetings, adds custom AI workflows, and includes team admin controls.
Can Otter.ai transcribe audio files I upload?
Yes. The Basic plan allows 3 lifetime file imports. Pro allows 10 imports per month. Business has no import cap. Supported formats include MP3, MP4, WAV, M4A, and common video containers.